It is one of those recurring dreams that every father has: our son is lost and this becomes a distressing nightmare. Has it ever happened to you? Even for a few minutes (a few seconds already seem eternity!), It is not surprising that in certain situations we lose sight of our children. Luckily, everything is usually in a scare. But, What can we do so that our son is not lost?
Here are some simple tips for children not to go astray and to save us that bad drink. As so often happens, it is mainly about talking to them and explaining how we have to move in places of risk, where there are many people, many children, new and unknown places ...
And always, always, don't take your eyes off them in these situations, since a second of dismissal can be a tremendous dislike. But, regarding what we can teach them, how to ensure that they are aware of the risk of getting lost and acquire safe habits in this regard?
Always go hand in hand, when we ask, in crowded places such as streets or shopping centers, walking on the beach ... The more people there are, the more we have to move and the more unknown the place, the more chances there are that we will give up And the child gets lost. Therefore, always going hand in hand with mom or dad is the best way not to separate.
May they always know where we are. When we are in the park or on the beach and leave them playing, a little "at your leisure", you have to compose a situation map so that you know how to locate us at any time. However, the spatial location of children is not very defined (except the smaller they are). Therefore, this does not mean that we relax: we will not be away from the child and we will not stop watching him, because there is not only the risk that he will be lost but that he will suffer an accident.
You have to teach children to say their first and last name, in case they get lost they can tell someone. If they are smaller, we can write your name and ours, along with our contact information, on paper and carry it in a pocket (a homemade version of the identification bracelets). They will give that paper to someone. But who?
After four or five years, they already recognize the police and can contact them if they have been lost. We can also ask you to talk to a mother who goes with other children to help you.
Dress your child in flashy clothes if you think it is necessary in a "risky" situation and if he is very restless ... A red or yellow shirt, a cap ... can help us locate our child more easily.
If you have already had a scare, if you know that it will be difficult for the child to be with you, it is advisable to ask for "reinforcements" when we go out with the child to a busy place. Be careful, because sometimes, the more eyes you watch, the more the older ones get lost, the more we trust that another will be watching the child.
Teach him not to move from the site if he looks lost. Sometimes, they start to wander and if they are not oriented they can move away from us, walk in the opposite direction ... Then, if it is kept in a place, it will be easier to find it.
Without leaving the park, the shopping center, the stadium ... In the same sense as the previous council, you have to teach them that they cannot leave the premises where we are, because they will find themselves with more dangers.
The stroller, an ally in certain situations. The child already loves to run and does it most of the time, but in certain places it may be convenient to go comfortably in the stroller (or in a shopping cart, on a guided bike ...).
As we said at the beginning, explain to your children the danger of moving away from mom and dad. It is not about alarming children, but they must be aware that being alone can cause accidents and we have to expose them to their level, so that they understand us.
If you have lost sight of your child in an open space, think about where you could go, what catches your attention ... while looking at dangerous points, like a road. Ask the people around you and the police for help if the child does not appear.
If you are in an enclosed space, there is probably a security guard to report that the child has been lost. In these places there is usually an action protocol for these cases. Keep calm as much as possible and think that the child will soon appear, in a few minutes everything is resolved (although I know that staying calm in this situation is practically impossible).
Finally, to avoid this nightmare, remember the main point: Do not take your eyes off children so they do not get lost and so that they do not suffer accidents or other undesirable mishaps. They are small and need us nearby, although we must know how to leave them a certain space and not harass them. You, have you had any fright with your children?
Photos | iStock
In Babies and more | Sometimes the internet is used to find a lost child, Tips to prevent the loss of children
